Fourth Grade Field Trip to the New York Public Library
On Monday, March 26, 2018, the Elm Room went on an amazing, educational field trip to the New York Public Library at Grand Central. The class entered the library with prior knowledge on government and civics from Social Studies class. The fourth graders had previously learned about how the government’s role is to take care of its citizens and that one of the ways it does so is by providing public services. Libraries are public services that are funded by state and local taxes. Most of the time, when we think about libraries, what comes to mind is books. However, the Elm Room saw, in real life, how the library is an essential community resource that helps people of all backgrounds and ages by providing a range of activities and tools.
During their stay, librarians Ms. Laura and Ms. Allison took the class on a tour to understand the layout of the building and how to locate different resources. They saw the “teen room,” came across the children’s and adult sections, and even saw people on line applying for ID cards. The librarians took the group on a scavenger hunt to locate books and resources and instructed them on how to use the databases to narrow down search results. Ms. Laura and Ms. Allison taught the students about how a diverse range of activities such as crafting classes, language courses, toddler story time, and even meditation classes, can be found at the library.
Furthermore, students of all ages can get help with school assignments, and even college preparation, from the library. At the end of their session, the fourth graders had a Q&A with Ms. Laura, and some of the students (and even teachers) were able to open up library cards!
If you are interested in attending events at the library, you may find more information using the link: New York Public Library